21 Days of Prayer

WHAT IS the 21 day Challenge?

A focus on putting God first in our lives. Starting Monday Jan 12, 2026-Feb 3, 2026.

21 Days of prayer

For 21 days, we will commit to communicating with God by praying on our own and together as a church family.

21 Days of Discipline

During this challenge, we will commit to growing closer to God through discipline in the form of fasting food or something else we use on a daily basis, so we can identify God as our true priority.

21 Days of bible study

Along with prayer and fasting, we will commit to getting to know God better through a daily 15-minute devotional which will help us grow in the areas of our lives that matter most to Him.

A new year has a way of stirring something in all of us. We think about what needs to change, what we want to leave behind, and who we hope to become. We make plans. We set intentions. And often, we start strong. But before long, the pace of life takes over and those good intentions fade into the background.

What if this year wasn’t about trying harder, fixing everything, or proving something to yourself? What if it was about staying connected to the only source that truly brings life?

Jesus reminds us that real growth does not come from effort alone, but from connection. When our lives are rooted in Him, fruit follows naturally. Peace grows. Faith deepens. Direction becomes clearer. Apart from Him, we burn energy without seeing lasting change. With Him, even small steps can lead to deep transformation.

So many voices promise fulfillment if we just chase the next goal, reach the next milestone, or finally get life under control. Yet Scripture offers a quieter, better invitation. Delight in the Lord. Stay close. Let Him shape your desires instead of racing after your own. When God becomes the focus, everything else begins to fall into its proper place.

Over the next 21 days, this devotional is designed to help you slow down and re-center your life on what matters most. Each day creates space to listen, reflect, and respond to God. This is not about doing everything right or checking another box. It is about choosing presence over pressure and faithfulness over perfection.

D.L. Moody once said,
“The world has yet to see what God can do with a man fully consecrated to Him. By God’s help, I aim to be that man.”

As you step into 2026, consider making consecration your starting point. Open your hands. Offer God your time, your plans, and your expectations. Trust Him to do the work only He can do. This may be the year He changes more than your habits. He may change your heart, and through it, the lives of others.

21 DAYS OF DISCIPLINE

WHY WE FAST

Fasting is a deliberate way of realigning our lives around what matters most. It is not about willpower or religious performance. At its core, fasting is a decision to put God back in His rightful place, first.

We live in a world that constantly competes for our attention. Noise is everywhere, schedules are full, and distractions are endless. Fasting creates space. It helps quiet the voices that pull us in every direction so we can listen more closely to God. When we choose closeness with Him, we discover the kind of peace, clarity, and joy that nothing else can provide.

While fasting can be challenging physically, its purpose is spiritual. For these 21 days, we are choosing to say no to lesser things so we can say yes to what matters most. As we do, God begins to renew our hearts, reshape our desires, and strengthen our relationship with Him. There is no better investment you can make in the health of your soul.

Scripture reminds us that God is not looking for surface-level change, but for surrendered hearts.

“Come back to me and really mean it! Come fasting and weeping, sorry for your sins! Change your life, not just your clothes. Come back to God, your God. And here’s why: God is kind and merciful. This most patient God, extravagant in love, always ready to cancel catastrophe.”
Joel 2:12–14 MSG

Jesus makes it clear what matters most:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command.”
Matthew 22:37–38 HCSB

And as we fast and seek Him, God promises transformation from the inside out:

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Romans 12:2 NKJV

Fasting is not about what we give up. It is about who we draw closer to.

HOW DO YOU FAST?

You may be happy to know there is more than one kind of fast. Especially if you’ve never fasted before, we advise you to consult your doctor before taking on a complete fast or certain selective fasts. Here are four primary ways to fast:

COMPLETE FAST

This fast calls for drinking only liquids, typically water with light juices as an option.

SELECTIVE FAST

This type of fast involves removing certain elements from your diet. One example of a selective fast is the Daniel Fast, during which you abstain from meat, sweets, and bread, only consuming water and juice for fluids and fruits and vegetables for food.

*Pastors and church staff do this fast.

PARTIAL FAST

This fast is sometimes called the Jewish Fast and involves abstaining from eating any type of food in the morning and afternoon. This can either correlate to specific times of the day, such as 6:00 AM to 3:00 PM, or from sunrise to sunset.

SOUL FAST

This fast is common for those who do not have much experience fasting food, who have health issues that prevent them from fasting food, or who wish to refocus certain areas of their lives that are out of balance. For instance, some might select to abstain from using social media or watching television for the duration of the fast, carefully bringing that element back into their lives in an orderly fashion at the conclusion of the fast.

WHY WE PRAY?

Every good relationship starts with the same key elements—love, trust, honesty, and communication—and the same concepts apply to our relationship with God. Prayer is all about connecting with God through a personal relationship with Him. God speaks to us through His Word, but He also wants us to talk back to Him.

It’s through prayer that we express our love and thanks to Him, we ask Him for the things we need, or we just let Him know where we are struggling and need His help. God is never far away from you. In every little moment of every day, He is right beside you with His love fully focused on you—so just talk to Him.

HOW WE PRAY?

At the end of each of the 21 days, we have provided some simple prayers for you to pray. We encourage you to continue praying beyond just the words we’ve given you as a starting point. You don’t have to say or do anything that you wouldn’t normally say or do when you’re talking to someone—just be yourself! God wants to hear your honest prayers. Share your thoughts, your frustrations, what you’re thankful for, what you need—He wants to hear it, so He can respond! God doesn’t want polished, eloquent prayers; He just wants to hear from you. He wants to have your undivided focus as you speak to Him throughout your day.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:16–17 ESV it says, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God.”

Pray when you’re getting ready in the morning, when you’re on your way to work or school, as you’re walking to your car or the next destination, when you’re driving, and everywhere else. God is with you all of the time, so anytime is a great time for prayer!